A 44-year-old Ballasalla man has been fined £220 after admitting speeding and failing to stop for police.

Nicholas Joseph Lowe said it was dark and he thought an officer in high visibility clothing, who tried to stop him, was a builder asking for a lift.

Magistrates fined him £220 for driving at 43mph in a 30mph zone, and made no separate penalty for the failure to stop offence.

Lowe was also ordered to pay £50 prosecution costs and had his licence endorsed with four penalty points.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that the defendant was driving an Audi A5 on Ballagawne Road in Colby on December 11, at 7.48pm.

Police were performing speed checks using a handheld laser device.

They clocked Lowe driving at 43mph in the 30mph zone and an officer stepped into the carriageway to stop him.

The defendant was said to have initially slowed down and indicated as if pulling in, but then cancelled his indicator and drove off.

He was located around an hour later in Castletown Square.

During an interview, when asked why he didn’t stop, Lowe said he didn’t know who it was, as it was pitch black.

He said he thought it might be a builder wanting a lift and that he had also been talking to his passengers at the time.

Defence advocate James Peterson asked for credit to be given for the guilty pleas and said that his client accepted he should have stopped.

Mr Peterson said that, had Lowe pulled in, he may well have only been dealt with by way of a fixed penalty notice.

The defendant agreed to pay the fine and costs at a rate of £100 per week.